EAT — DRINK — SHOP — CULTURE — BUILDINGS — DISCOVER — CHILDREN — SLEEP — WEEKEND — RANDOM Oxford St Oxford St MortimerSt Wardour St LexingtonSt Dean St Frith St Soho St BerwickSt BeakSt CarnabySt Royal Academy of Arts National Gallery BrewerSt GreatMarlboroughSt RegentSt RegentSt CoventrySt LeicesterSquare Haymarket Charing Cross Rd Piccadilly St James’s Square ShaftesburyAvenue Golden Square Soho Square Leicester Square Garden 174 191 193 207 209 7 11 12 13 14 15 22 26 29 34 44 50 59 60 70 73 78 94 95 96 97 99 101 120 126 121 151 152 153 154 155 158 166 223 253 265 310 380 426 458 472 483 485 347 38 173 185
Map 1 SOHO
COVENT GARDEN EAT — DRINK — SHOP — CULTURE — BUILDINGS — DISCOVER — CHILDREN — SLEEP — WEEKEND — RANDOM NewOxfordSt BloomsburySt Kingsway Strand Underpass Strand Underpass Royal Opera House Royal Courts of Justice Waterloo Bridge River Thames Covent Garden Strand National Gallery DruryLn BowSt St Martin’s Ln ShortsGardens SheltonSt LongAcreMercerSt Kingst Trafalgar Square BedfordSt Lincoln’s Inn Fields C h a r i n g CrossRd Charing Cross Station VictoriaEmbankment HighHolborn High Holborn Shaftesbury Ave King’s College London 186 208 234 183 46 77 54 56 76 98 131 293 298 301 389 433 462 464 484 397 206
The 5 best places for STREET FOOD 30 5 must-eat restaurants for FOODIES 32 The 5 best places to grab LUNCH IN SOHO 34 The 5 hippest places to eat in EAST LONDON 36 The 5 best VEGETARIAN restaurants 38 The 5 best ASIAN restaurants 40 The 5 best restaurants for INTERNATIONAL CUISINE 42 The 5 best GREASY SPOON CAFES 44 The 5 best places for FISH AND CHIPS 46 The 5 best places for MEAT EATERS 49 5 places for a FABULOUS BREAKFAST 51
95 PLACES TO EAT OR BUY GOOD FOOD
The 5 best restaurants for a ROMANTIC MEAL 53 5 restaurants with a GREAT VIEW 55 The 5 tastiest CHEAP EATS 57 The 5 best specialist FOOD and DRINK SHOPS 60 The 5 best places for BAKERY and CAKES 62 The 5 best stalls at BOROUGH MARKET 64 The 5 best shops for BRITISH PRODUCE 66 5 essential INTERNATIONAL FOOD STORES 68
The 5 best places for STREET FOOD
1 MALTBY STREET
MARKET
Ropewalk
41 Maltby St
SE1 3PA
Southbank ➃
maltby.st
2 SOUTHBANK CENTRE MARKET
AT: SOUTHBANK CENTRE
Belvedere Road
SE1 8XX
Southbank ➃
southbankcentre.co.uk
3 BRIXTON VILLAGE
AT: GRANVILLE ARCADE
Coldharbour Lane
SW9 8PR
South ➄
wearebrixton
village.co.uk
At this lively and atmospheric weekend market vendors have set up their stalls in units beneath railway arches and in the narrow alleyway known as the Ropewalk. Here you will find some of the best producers in town including Hansen and Lydersen, Little Bird Gin, St John’s Bakery and Band of Bandits.
This street food market is open every Friday to Sunday. It’s a great location to eat if you are visiting any of the cultural centres in the South Bank area. The vendors here represent the best in street food cuisine from Britain and around the world. There are often free events and concerts in the Festival Hall in the afternoons.
The compact units of Brixton’s lively covered market are home to a wealth of street food inspired restaurants. As well as the pizza and burger spots, try MamaLan (Chinese), Okan (Japanese), Kaosarn (Thai), Chishuru (West African), Santafereño (Colombian) or The Joint for BBQ meats.
30
4 NETIL MARKET
13-23 Westgate St
E8 3RL
Hackney ➈
+44 (0)20 3095 9718
eatworkart.com/ netil-market
In the week this is a platform for small creative businesses to sell their clothes, jewellery, ceramics and design products. Saturday is market day, and this is when street food stalls join in, including Bao Bar for Taiwanese steamed buns and Lemlem kitchen for modern African and Eritrean.
42 Newington Causeway
SE1 6DR
Southbank ➃
+44 (0)20 7403 0930
mercato
metropolitano.com
Housed in a vast former paper factory this covered market is home to an exciting array of street food and artisanal produce stalls, bars and cafes, with a focus on Italian culinary culture. MM is also home to the Backyard Cinema, a community garden and events such as terrarium and gnocchi workshops and vintage fairs.
31
5 MERCATO METROPOLITANO
1 MALTBY STREET
5 coffee shops for a serious CAFFEINE FIX 74 5 coffee shops to WATCH THE WORLD GO BY 76 The 5 best ROOFTOP DRINKING SPOTS 78 The 5 best COCKTAIL BARS 80 The 5 best WINE BARS 82 The 5 best places for A CUP OF TEA 84 The 5 best CYCLE CAFES 86 The 5 best PUBS for REAL ALE 88 The 5 best pubs for a RIVERSIDE DRINK 90 The 5 best places for CRAFT ALE 92 The 5 best CRAFT ALE BREWERIES with a bar 94
70 PLACES FOR A DRINK
The 5 best SOHO BOOZERS 96 5 pubs with AMAZING INTERIORS 99 The 5 best places for a FUN NIGHT OUT 101
5 coffee shops for a serious CAFFEINE FIX
96 KAFFEINE
66 Great Titchfield St
W1W 7QJ
Soho ➀
+44 (0)20 7580 6755
kaffeine.co.uk
97 ALGERIAN COFFEE STORES
52 Old Compton St
W1D 4PB
Soho ➀
+44 (0)20 7437 2480
algcoffee.co.uk
98 MONMOUTH COFFEE
27 Monmouth St
WC2H 9EU
Covent Garden ➀
+44 (0)20 7232 3010
monmouthcoffee.co.uk
This stylish Australian-style espresso spot in Fitzrovia, just near Oxford Circus, serves fantastic coffee from a Synesso Cyncra machine. The cakes, pastries and changing breakfast and lunch menus are excellent too, and their beans are available for retail.
A fixture in Soho since 1887 the Algerian Coffee Store sells more than 80 varieties of coffee beans from around the world. The atmospheric store is packed full of coffee paraphernalia and a superb selection of unusual chocolates and confectionery.
Monmouth was founded on this site in 1978, roasting carefully selected imported beans in the basement. They can be credited with pioneering good quality coffee in London at a time when it was only available from a few Italian cafes. They still roast their own beans, sourced from fair trade single-estate farms around the world.
74
99 FLAT WHITE
17 Berwick St
W1F 0PT
Soho ➀
+44 (0)20 7734 0370
flatwhitesoho.co.uk
100 PRUFROCK
23-25 Leather Lane
EC1N 7TE
Clerkenwell ➁
+44 (0)20 7242 0467 prufrockcoffee.com
Flat White seeks to bring the refined, artisan style of antipodean coffee to London. Their signature coffee is deliciously creamy: a strong shot of espresso with not-too-hot textured milk poured on top. Their cheese toasties, smashed avocado on artisanal bread and homemade pastries are worth coming back for, too.
This large open-plan cafe has won the Best Independent Coffee Shop in Europe award and has a reputation for experimenting to find the best production methods. They run the London Barista Resource and Training Centre from the two-floor premises, from where you can graduate with a diploma in coffee making.
75
97 ALGERIAN COFFEE STORES
5 shops for BRITISH DESIGN 108 5 essential FASHION SHOPS for MEN 110 5 essential FASHION SHOPS for WOMEN 112 The 5 best shops for VINTAGE CLOTHING 114 5 unusual SPECIALIST SHOPS 116 The 5 best record shops for NEW VINYL 118 The 5 best record shops for VINTAGE VINYL 120 5 of the best INDEPENDENT BOOKSHOPS 122 5 of the best SPECIALIST BOOKSHOPS ———— 125 The 5 best shops for VINTAGE DESIGN and HOMEWARES 127 5 shops for CONTEMPORARY INTERIOR DESIGN 130
75 PLACES TO SHOP
5 of the most USEFUL SHOPS 132 The 5 best places to buy CONTEMPORARY CRAFTS 134 The 5 best shops for ART MATERIALS, PAPER and PRINTS 136 5 of the best MARKETS 138
5 shops for BRITISH DESIGN
166 CUBITTS
37 Marshall St
W1F 7EZ
Soho ➀
+44 (0)20 7129 8128
cubitts.co.uk
167 UNTO THIS LAST
230 Brick Lane
E2 7EB East ➂
+44 (0)20 7613 0882
www.untothislast.co.uk
Cubitts make elegant handmade spectacles and sunglasses for men and women. All the models are named after London streets such as Judd, Brunswick, Calthorpe and Marchmont. The glasses are modestly priced given their quality and the 50 separate design processes involved.
An innovative and forward-thinking contemporary furniture maker, named after a John Ruskin essay that advocated a return to local craftsmanship in the industrial age. This Brick Lane workshop is also a shop window for their plywood designs. They offer the convenience and skill of a local workshop at affordable prices.
108
168 JASPER
SHOP
MORRISON
24-B Kingsland Road
E2 8DA
East ➂
jaspermorrisonshop.com
169 TIMOROUS
BEASTIES
46 Amwell St
EC1R 1XS
Clerkenwell ➁
+44 (0)20 7833 5010
timorousbeasties.com
Industrial designer Jasper Morrison is known for his every-day, useful designs of household products. This discreetly located small showroom in Shoreditch brings together his designs for leading international manufacturers with similarly elegant and utile products from other designers.
Founded by a pair of Glasgow School of Art students and named after a poem by Robert Burns, this tiny and homely store stocks an entire collection of wallpapers, printed fabrics, cushions and ceramic designs. Contemporary subversions of Victorian period tropes, they range from traditional scenes of nature to Rorschachian psychedelia and pure abstraction and pattern.
170 DAVID MELLOR
4 Sloane Square
SW1W 8EE
South West ➅
+44 (0)20 7730 4259
davidmellordesign.com
This Chelsea kitchenware shop is a showcase for the designs of the late David Mellor and his son Corin. The cutlery, ceramics, glass and accessories are all produced in their Derbyshire factory and share an elegant simplicity. The shop also sells pottery and woodcrafted pieces from a variety of British studios and kindred European designers.
109
BRIXTON RITZY
ENJOY CULTURE The 5 best SMALL GALLERIES 142 The 5 best COMMERCIAL GALLERIES 144 The 5 best INDEPENDENT CINEMAS 146 The 5 most INNOVATIVE THEATRES 148 The 5 most inspiring CULTURAL CENTRES 150 5 artworks to see at TATE BRITAIN 152 5 things to see at THE V&A MUSEUM 154 The 5 best sound systems at NOTTING HILL CARNIVAL 156 The 5 best venues for LIVE MUSIC 158 The 5 best MUSIC and CULTURAL FESTIVALS 160 5 historic CHURCHES for LIVE MUSIC 162
55 PLACES TO
The 5 best SMALL GALLERIES
241 DULWICH PICTURE
GALLERY
Gallery Road
SE21 7AD
South ➄
+44 (0)20 8693 5254
dulwichpicture gallery.org.uk
242 WHITECHAPEL
GALLERY
77 Whitechapel
High St
E1 7QX
East ➂
+44 (0)20 7522 7888
whitechapelgallery.org
Dulwich opened in 1817 as the world’s first purpose-built public gallery. The permanent collection is of Old Master paintings from France, Italy and Spain. Artists represented include Rembrandt, Poussin, Rubens, Canaletto and Gainsborough. They have excellent exhibitions with recent artists including M.C. Escher, Emily Carr and Nikolai Astrup.
Founded in 1901 with the aim of bringing art to the people of east London, Whitechapel has a reputation for hosting important exhibitions by international contemporary artists. There’s an excellent bookshop run by German booksellers Koenig and a restaurant overseen by Angela Hartnett.
142
243 WALLACE COLLECTION
AT: HERTFORD HOUSE
Manchester Square
W1U 3BN
Marylebone ➇
+44 (0)20 7563 9500
wallacecollection.org
Grand and historic Hertford House has held the Wallace Collection since 1897. Over 25 galleries display fine and decorative artefacts from the 15th to 19th centuries, with paintings by Titian, Boucher, Van Dyck, Rubens and Velázquez, as well as armour, porcelain, miniatures and furniture. The courtyard has been enclosed with a glass roof and houses a restaurant and cafe.
244 CAMDEN ARTS CENTRE
Arkwright Road
NW3 6DG
North ��
+44 (0)20 7472 5500
camdenartscentre.org
245 NEWPORT STREET
GALLERY
Newport St SE11 6AJ
Southbank ➃
+44 (0)20 3141 9320
newportstreet gallery.com
Founded in 1965 and housed in a former public library, this north London gallery exhibits an innovative and inspiring programme of international contemporary art that often focuses on emerging talents. There’s a bookshop, cafe and garden space too.
This exciting art space opened in 2015 to display selected works from Damien Hirst’s art collection, which includes artists as varied as Bacon, Koons, Emin, Banksy and Turk as well as taxidermy and anatomical specimens. The building, a converted warehouse designed by Caruso St John, is elegant with large galleries and high ceilings. Do not exit through the gift shop – it’s separate to the galleries, and the only place you’ll see Hirst’s own works on site.
143
REDCHURCH STREET
40 PLACES TO DISCOVER CONTEMPORARY LONDON 5 of the hippest HANG-OUTS 188 5 notable 21ST-CENTURY BUILDINGS 190 The 5 most revealing FREE VIEWPOINTS 192 The 5 best SIGHTSEEING TRIPS by public transport 194 The 5 best intimate NIGHTCLUBS for underground music 196 The 5 best NEIGHBOURHOODS to visit ————— 198 The 5 best INDEPENDENT SHOPPING STREETS ————————————————— 202 5 WALKS to discover contemporary London 204
5 of the hippest HANG-OUTS
346 OSLO
1-A Amhurst Road
E8 1LL
Hackney ➈
+44 (0)20 3553 4831
oslohackney.com
This multi-purpose venue is housed in a stylishly renovated former railway building next to Hackney Central station. There’s a hip Nordic aesthetic, especially in the restaurant. A relaxed bar area serves craft ales including from Five Points in Hackney Wick. Upstairs there’s a live music venue showcasing the latest bands whilst downstairs is a club.
18-22 Haymarket
SW1Y 4DG
Soho ➀
+44 (0)20 7518 0680
doverstreetmarket.com
DSM is an upmarket, cutting-edge fashion concept store founded by Rei Kawakubo of Comme des Garçons. Over four storeys it features dozens of haute designer labels, collaborations, pop-ups and some very creative visual merchandising. Concessions also include the excellent IDEA books, Labour and Wait and the Rose Bakery cafe.
188
347 DOVER STREET MARKET
348
LONDON FIELDS
West Side
E8 3EU
Hackney ➈
349 SPIRITLAND
9-10 Stable St
N1C 4AB
Bloomsbury ➁
+44 (0)20 3319 0050
spiritland.com
350 GOODHOOD
151 Curtain Road
EC2A 3QE
East ➂
+44 (0)20 7729 3600
goodhoodstore.com
On a warm and sunny day London Fields is the place to be. It’s a popular spot for east Londoner’s to come and relax. There’s lots of green space and plenty of facilities including the lido, cricket pitch, BBQ area, flower meadow, play areas and the Pub on the Park. On Sundays there’s a farmers market.
A haven for audiophile music lovers, Spiritland is a buzzy cafe and bar that boasts a bespoke world-class sound system rumoured to have cost tens of thousands of pounds. It is host to events, talks, gigs and sets from deep digging DJs and record collectors, as well as a shop selling vinyl, books and musical equipment.
This fashion concept store is a great place to discover new trends. The ground floor has an excellent multi-branded selection of men’s and women’s clothing, plus a range of books and magazines. The basement houses a lifestyle selection including kitchenware, textiles, ceramics, toys, beauty products and camping accessories.
189
COLOPHON
EDITING and COMPOSING — Tom Greig
GRAPHIC DESIGN — Joke Gossé, Tinne Luyten and doublebill.design
PHOTOGRAPHY — Sam Mellish sammellish.com
COVER IMAGE — Brixton Market
The addresses in this book have been selected after thorough independent research by the author, in collaboration with Luster Publishing. The selection is solely based on personal evaluation of the business by the author. Nothing in this book was published in exchange for payment or benefits of any kind.
D/2022/12.005/4
ISBN 978 94 6058 3193
NUR 512, 510
© 2016 Luster Publishing, Antwerp
Tenth edition, February 2022 Eighteenth reprint, February 2022 lusterpublishing.com – THE500HIDDENSECRETS.COM info@lusterpublishing.com
Printed in Italy by Printer Trento.
All rights reserved.
No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, without the prior written consent of the publisher. An exception is made for short excerpts, which may be cited for the sole purpose of reviews.
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